China Visa for Indians 2026: Types, Fees and How to Apply

This is the system as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026: the Chinese Embassy in India, the three Chinese Visa Application Service Centers (CVASC) and China's National Immigration Administration (NIA). The process changed in December 2025, so older guides describing appointment booking are out of date. For the wider country page, see our China visa hub for Indian passport holders.

Can Indians enter China without a visa or get one on arrival?

Not for an ordinary trip. India is not on China's unilateral 30-day visa-exemption list (as of 17 February 2026), not on the 57-country list for 240-hour visa-free transit (August 2026) and not among the 59 countries allowed visa-free entry to Hainan.

• Transit: Indians can use only the 24-hour visa-free transit to a third country while staying inside the port's restricted area.
• Port visa: issued at designated ports (99 ports in 72 cities) only for an urgent need, such as urgent business, visiting a critically ill relative or attending a funeral, when there was no time to get a visa. The NIA recommends getting preliminary approval before travelling.
• eVisa: not available. The online system pre-reviews your file, but the original passport still goes to the Visa Center, and 'online review completed' is not a visa approval.

Which Chinese visa type matches your trip?

The visa officer decides the type, number of entries, validity and duration of stay. First-time applicants are generally issued a single-entry visa. To ask for double or multiple entries, show a Chinese visa obtained in the past five years and enough passport validity.

How much does a China visa cost Indians in 2026?

The Embassy's fee notice of 4 January 2026 extended reduced fees for Indian passport holders until 31 December 2026. The fee depends on the number of entries, not the visa type, so a student or work visa costs the same as a tourist visa with the same entries.

You pay the visa fee at the Visa Center, not online: cash or demand draft in New Delhi, cash only in Mumbai and Kolkata. If an application is rejected, the Embassy refunds the visa and express fees through the Visa Center, but the centre's service fee is non-refundable. The service fee is adjusted every quarter with the USD-INR exchange rate.

How does the online application work now?

1. Pay the Visa Center service fee online for Normal or Express service. You cannot change the service later.
2. Create an account on the Visa Center website for the centre that covers your state.
3. Fill in the online form and upload your passport, photo and supporting documents with the printed payment confirmation, then click Submit.
4. Watch the status. 'Rejected' means more documents or corrections are needed; fix and resubmit.
5. When the status shows 'online review completed', you receive an email with the Visa Application Certificate.
6. Within 15 days, take the certificate and original passport to the Visa Center. No appointment is needed. Pay the visa fee there.
7. Applicants for S, Q, X and Z visas are interviewed at the Embassy (New Delhi jurisdiction) or, if informed, at the Consulate General in Mumbai or Kolkata.

Which visa centre handles your state?

What documents do tourists need, including the INR 1 lakh rule?

• Visa application form and the confirmation page of the online application.
• Original passport valid at least 6 months with 2 or more blank visa pages, a copy of the information pages, and any expired passports from the last 5 years.
• Two recent colour photos, 48mm x 33mm, full face, bare head, no glasses.
• A copy of your most recent Chinese visa, if any.
• Tour itinerary, hotel order and airline ticket order.
• Personal savings-account statements for the most recent 3 months with a minimum consistent monthly balance of INR 1 lakh, or a deposit certificate of a similar amount made at least 3 months before applying (New Delhi centre notice of 9 April 2026). Minors may use a parent's statement with an authorisation letter.

Short-term visa applicants (stays of up to 180 days) are exempt from fingerprinting until 31 December 2026, but fingerprints are still taken for D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z visas. The form must carry your own phone number and email; concealment or false information may lead to rejection.

How long until you collect your passport?

In New Delhi, express applications must be submitted before 12:00. Files can take longer when supplementary documents are requested, and in April 2026 the New Delhi centre advised applying well in advance because of higher volumes. China publishes no refusal or approval statistics for Indian applicants on the Embassy, Visa Center or NIA websites.

Because the tourist checklist asks for a hotel order, an air ticket order and an itinerary, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram can prepare those, plus a cover letter. A flight reservation is INR 1,000 and the four-part package is INR 3,000. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or reach us on the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take my passport back while my China visa is processing?

Yes, by submitting a withdrawal letter with the reason through the Visa Center. Once the Embassy approves it, the application is treated as withdrawn and the passport and Embassy fees are returned through the Visa Center. A withdrawn or returned application cannot be revived.

Who counts as family for a China Q visa?

The Embassy lists spouses, parents, parents of spouses, children, spouses of children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren of a Chinese citizen or permanent resident. Other relatives apply for a tourist or business visa.

Can I extend my China visa after arriving?

You apply to the local public security exit and entry authority at least 7 days before your permitted stay ends. Staying beyond the duration of stay without an extension is illegal overstay.

Is there priority service for elderly or sick applicants?

Yes. The New Delhi Visa Center runs a 'green channel' for emergencies such as medical treatment, visiting patients and funerals, and for the elderly, sick, disabled, pregnant applicants and toddlers, who can apply without queuing.